Mounting distress over spiralling ticket prices in Manipur has prompted the state government to draw airlines and the Airports Authority of India into an urgent exercise to rein in what it describes as “exorbitant” airfares on the Imphal sector. With road links disrupted and rail connectivity yet to commence, authorities say the rising burden on flyers has reached a point that demands immediate regulatory intervention.
The push came during a high-level meeting convened on Tuesday by Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Bajpai, who oversees Transport as well as Textiles, Commerce and Industry. Senior representatives from AAI, Air India Express, IndiGo and Alliance Air were called in to explain the abnormal price surge and limited flight operations affecting Imphal, the state’s only dependable gateway to the rest of the country.
Officials at the meeting noted that passengers travelling on the 45-minute Imphal-Guwahati route, once priced between ₹2,000 and ₹3,000, are now paying between ₹10,000 and ₹15,000. A comparative review showed that flyers from Manipur are spending up to seven times more than passengers on similar routes elsewhere in the Northeast.
Bajpai told airline executives that current fares on the Imphal sector remain “disproportionately higher than those for comparable routes in other northeastern states.” He conveyed concerns that carriers may be offsetting losses by raising prices on high-demand routes such as Imphal, thereby “adversely affecting the local population.” Officials also stressed the impact on students, medical patients and traders who rely almost entirely on air travel due to the state’s limited transport alternatives.
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The urgency of the situation was earlier flagged by the Governor of Manipur, who wrote to the Union Minister of Civil Aviation seeking rationalisation of fares and expansion of services. The letter emphasised the “social and economic strain” caused by inflated ticket prices and urged coordination between DGCA and airline operators.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Bajpai called for greater transparency in fare structures and asked AAI and airlines to work towards a common regulatory mechanism to prevent steep, unpredictable hikes. He urged carriers to ensure that “airfare rates in Manipur be maintained at par with other northeastern states” and that summer-level frequencies be retained through the winter months.
To restore regional connectivity, he requested Alliance Air to resume the Imphal–Silchar, Imphal–Aizawl and Imphal–Dibrugarh routes, which were suspended earlier. Air India Express and IndiGo were also encouraged to examine the viability of Imphal–Bangkok passenger and cargo services, given the strong demand potential.
Bajpai reiterated that safeguarding both physical and economic connectivity remains central to the state’s approach. He appealed to aviation authorities to adopt a “socially equitable pricing” model that keeps air travel accessible for citizens in a state heavily dependent on it.
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